TLDR: Recent surveys by Protiviti, Coupa, and Kyriba indicate that Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) are increasingly focused on financial planning and analysis (FP&A) due to rising tariff concerns and the growing, yet complex, adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While AI is seen as a top growth strategy and a tool for mitigating external risks, CFOs also express significant concerns about its security implications and the need for workforce adaptation and regulatory clarity.
Recent findings from multiple surveys highlight a pivotal moment for Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), who are navigating a landscape shaped by escalating tariff concerns and the transformative, yet challenging, integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into financial planning and analysis (FP&A). These insights, primarily from Protiviti, Coupa, and Kyriba, underscore AI’s dual role as both a strategic imperative and a source of significant risk.
Tariffs and Economic Uncertainty Drive FP&A Focus
The 13th annual Executive Perspectives on Top Risks Survey by Protiviti, which gathered insights from 1,215 board members and C-suite executives globally between mid-November and mid-December 2024, identified “economic conditions and inflationary pressures” as the top near-term risk for CFOs, cited by 43% of respondents. This broad category encompasses deglobalisation, tariffs, trade barriers, and geopolitical tensions, all contributing to a volatile economic outlook. The report explicitly states that “tariff announcements, regulatory agency restructuring and related government actions” are creating “ripple effects throughout most FP&A functions.” CFOs are responding by prioritizing “cost optimisation activities that leverage automation, including AI, to increase margins via an orchestrated blend of targeted cost reductions and revenue enhancements.”
Echoing these concerns, a Coupa survey of 500 CFOs and finance leaders in the U.S. and Europe, conducted in January and February 2025, found that many finance leaders were already worried about tariffs on foreign countries. To mitigate these financial risks, 22% were increasing inventory levels, 19% were engaged in hedging strategies, and 18% were restructuring their supply chains. The impact of tariffs on the cost of acquiring parts and finished goods from overseas is also a significant long-term operational risk, prompting more frequent strategic sourcing decisions, such as onshore or nearshore production.
AI: A Top Growth Strategy Amidst Trust and Talent Gaps
Despite the economic headwinds, AI is emerging as a leading growth strategy. The Coupa survey revealed that 40% of CFOs identified AI as a top growth strategy for 2025, narrowly surpassing mergers and acquisitions (39%) and workforce expansion (38%). Furthermore, almost half (48%) of CFOs reported already using AI in finance and procurement processes.
However, this rapid adoption is not without its complexities. A Kyriba poll of 1,000 financial decision-makers across the U.S., U.K., France, and Japan (conducted from February 18 to March 3, 2025) highlighted a “trust gap” regarding AI. A substantial 76% of corporate finance leaders expressed concerns that AI poses security and privacy risks that could undermine their organization’s financial health. Despite these reservations, an overwhelming 96% of CFOs are prioritizing AI integration.
The Protiviti report also noted that AI presents a dual challenge for cybersecurity, simultaneously enabling “faster and more focused threat detection, automated incident response” while also being leveraged by cybercriminals for “sophisticated, large-scale attacks along with deceptive phishing and vishing methods.”
Talent management is another critical area impacted by AI. The Protiviti survey found that “availability and cost of talent and critical skills” is a top near-term risk. As AI applications begin to “supplant spreadsheets as a ubiquitous business tool,” substantial skills, process, and technology changes will be required across organizations. CFOs are particularly concerned about “resistance to change” within their ranks, especially during major technology modernizations like ERP cloud migrations. The Coupa survey also linked planned workforce expansions to the “continued growth of AI usage,” emphasizing the need for workforces to “evolve alongside technological advancements, fostering a more agile and scalable organization.”
Regulatory Scrutiny and the Evolving CFO Role
The increasing use of AI also brings heightened regulatory scrutiny. Protiviti’s report identifies “AI governance and regulatory oversight” as a top 10 CFO near-term risk. Divergence in AI regulation between the U.S. and the European Union could force global companies to develop distinct AI strategies and compliance capabilities for different regions.
The role of the CFO itself is undergoing significant transformation. Kyriba’s study indicated that 53% of CFOs expect AI to “significantly change their roles,” more so than workforce shifts (44%) or C-suite succession (41%). Nearly half of Kyriba’s respondents plan to use AI to “mitigate the impact of external factors such as market volatility, tariffs and political instability.” As one quote from the Kyriba report summarizes, “While concerns about security and privacy remain, CFOs increasingly recognize the value of leveraging AI to drive strategic growth, enhance decision-making and navigate complex regulatory landscapes with growing confidence, signaling that AI is becoming indispensable for maintaining resilience and competitiveness.”
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In essence, CFOs are being called upon to “collect, control, analyse, interpret, share, protect and act upon data” with unprecedented agility to mitigate both “forever risks” like economic volatility and the emerging complexities introduced by AI.
